Former British boxer Carl Froch, who retired in 2014 and transitioned to a career as a boxing analyst and commentator, has gone viral for his controversial belief that the Earth is flat. Froch, who has previously admitted to subscribing to conspiracy theories, shared his views on the Pound for Pound podcast with Jake Wood and Spencer Oliver in December 2022. During the episode, he confidently declared, “The Earth is flat, 100 percent,” and accused NASA of being a “fake” organization that produces CGI images. Froch stated he would only believe the Earth is a globe if he could personally see its curvature, such as on a spaceflight like those offered by Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic.
Froch reiterated his views on the Macklin’s Take podcast, where he challenged listeners to prove that the Earth is spherical. When co-host Matthew Macklin pointed out his experience of flying west from Los Angeles to Brisbane as evidence of the Earth’s roundness, Froch dismissed the argument with a convoluted explanation involving a flat Earth map. He claimed circumnavigation could still occur on a flat plane, asserting that the North Pole sits at the center and is surrounded by an “ice wall” marking the edges of the Earth.
In addition to his flat Earth claims, Froch also cast doubt on the Moon landing, accusing NASA of faking it. He questioned how astronauts in 1969 supposedly reached the Moon using equipment he compared to a rudimentary Zedec Spectrum computer from his childhood. Froch claimed that the loss of telemetry data from the Apollo missions further supported his belief that the lunar landing was fabricated. “When you look at all of the evidence and footage,” he said, “I would say that we did not go to the Moon.”
Froch’s remarks have drawn widespread attention and skepticism, with many criticizing his reliance on conspiracy theories and disregard for scientific evidence. His assertion that NASA’s images of the Earth resemble cartoons, along with his dismissal of decades of astronomical research, has sparked debate online. Despite the pushback, Froch remains steadfast in his beliefs, repeating his theories across various platforms.
The former boxer’s comments have fueled internet discussions about the persistence of conspiracy theories and the challenges of combating misinformation. While Froch’s statements may appeal to a niche audience of skeptics, they also highlight the enduring allure of questioning established scientific truths in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary.